In a vibrant celebration of the upcoming Chinese New Year, US school students tried their hand at calligraphy and relic-repairing to experience traditional Chinese culture through an innovative Cultural Open Day event at the Chinese consulate general in San Francisco.

Twenty-nine students, accompanied by their parents and teachers from William Land Elementary School in Sacramento, California, and Nam Kue School in San Francisco, gathered on Wednesday for the unique cultural immersion.

During the Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, writing the Chinese character fu, which means happiness and luck, on red paper and pasting it on doors is a cherished tradition signifying wishes for good fortune and happiness in the coming year.

The students embraced the custom by learning to write the character in snake-shaped calligraphy on traditional red paper.

Excitement peaked as students tackled the delicate art of restoring miniature Terracotta Warriors, thanks to the specialized restoration kits provided by the Shaanxi History Museum.

Among the enthusiastic participants was 12-year-old Zoe Gotham Wilson, whose eyes lit up as she presented her restored figurine.

"I know they are Terracotta Warriors. I'm interested in Chinese history. They made them into sculptures, which is really cool," the sixth-grader from William Land school told China Daily in fluent Chinese.

She has already visited Shanghai, and now dreams of traveling to Xi'an to see the real warriors.

The students also participated in interactive cultural quizzes and savored Chinese dumplings.

For many of the young learners, born in the Year of the Snake themselves, the event offered a rare glimpse into authentic Chinese traditions. Acting Consul-General Yang Shouzheng explained to the students how the snake symbolizes wisdom, flexibility and resilience in Chinese culture, encouraging them to approach life's challenges with similar qualities.

The celebration took on special significance this year as UNESCO recently recognized the Spring Festival's cultural importance by adding it to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Hands-on experience

Teachers said hands-on learning is more powerful than just teaching theoretically about the significance of the Chinese New Year.

"Students understand better when they participate hands-on, rather than just learning from textbooks," said Miaoyun Chen from Nam Kue School. "When writing the character fu by hand, the impression becomes deeper."

Feifei Xie from William Land school highlighted the event's importance in bridging cultural gaps. Many of her students, though enthusiastic about Chinese culture, have never visited China and primarily learn through textbooks, television or the Internet.

"The understanding and impression of China is quite different from reality," she noted, emphasizing how experiences like these provide authentic perspectives on Chinese traditions, including hospitality customs.

The event builds on previous successful cultural exchanges, including visits to the Chinese consul-general's residence that left lasting impressions on students through thoughtfully arranged activities and presentations, said Xie.

Looking ahead, Yang encouraged the students to participate in the Chinese government's initiative of inviting 50,000 young people from the US over the course of five years to visit China for exchange and study programs.

"I hope, in the Year of the Snake, more young Americans will visit China, make friends with Chinese youth, and contribute to the inheritance of China-US friendship," he said.

liazhu@chinadailyusa.com